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Archive for the ‘Maxwell Eaton III’ Category

Maxwell Eaton III–The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Crazy Critter Race (2015)

Posted in Children's Books, Funny (ha ha), Graphic Novel, Maxwell Eaton III, Roger Dean, Short Books, Yes on July 4, 2015| Leave a Comment »

critterSOUNDTRACK: YES-Close to the Edge (1972).

Yes-closeHaving such success with Fragile, the same line up toured that album and then planned a tour for the successful follow-up Close to the Edge.  This album is the first one to feature their now iconic logo and a clearly designed by Roger Dean album cover (even if it’s fairly plain).

This is also their first album to feature a side one suite, the title track “Close to the Edge.”  It also features only two other tracks (10 and 9 minutes each).  And despite (or because of that) it was a huge success.

“Close to the Edge” opens with part I “The Solid Time of Change.”  The opening is soft and then blam, some crazy guitar lines over a fast and complex bass line.  There’s so much going on it’s near cacophony for 3 minutes (I’m not even sure how they did it).  Until a beautiful soaring guitar riff breaks from the noise.  I love that Howe plays the riff a second time with slight variation to it—really keeping it interesting and complex.  And at nearly 5 minutes we get to the “close to the edge” chorus, or at the first part of it (I also love that the chorus gets bigger as the song progresses).  I don’t really know where the “parts” begin, (confusingly they sing the titles of the sections through the song).

Ok, so Wikipedia tells me that part II “Total Mass Retain” begins with the big thudding bass at around 6:04.  And part III “I Get Up, I Get Down” evidently starts right after the keyboard solo around 8:28 which begins with the slow washes of keyboards.  It is the mellow section with the multiple layers of vocals and the gorgeous church organ.  Part IV “Seasons of Man” starts with the reprise of the earlier music (in a weird key change).  There’s a lengthy keyboard solo here and then more vocals reprising all of the section with a slightly different feel. Until it all fades out much like it faded in.  It’s a dynamite track and never feels 18 minutes long.

Side two has two songs.  “And You And I” is only 10 minutes long but it too has 4 parts.

Par I “Cord of Life” opens with what is more or less guitar tuning (although it sounds lovely with his guitar).  And then there’s some very pretty acoustic guitar playing.  I really like when the bass notes come in around 1:15 and then there’s Wakeman’s keyboards.  It gets big and bassy just at the end of part 1.  Part II “Eclipse” starts around 3.48 right after the “call” when the big orchestral instrumental kicks in. This part lasts for 2 and a half minutes.

The opening guitar returns and then part III “The Preacher, the Teacher” begins with a new guitar section (and more keyboards) this is more or less a reprise of the other verses.   Part IV “The Apocalypse” is just 52 seconds long and is the reintroduction of the “and you and I theme” (and is not apocalyptic at all).

“Siberian Khatru” is 9 minutes but only one part. It opens with a fast cool guitar riff and then adds a fast cool keyboard riff.  The bass rumbles through and the guitar floats over the top.  There’s a great guitar riff that comes in around a minute in, which is the main riff of the song.  And then there’s some harmony vocals   After the harmonies, the song sort of resets and we get another verse with more great harmony voices.  The keyboard solo is on a harpsichord and sounds very classical.  Then there’s a trippy guitar solo.  A new section of song starts around 4 and a half minutes.  Around 6 minutes the song switches to the ending coda, a smooth cool riff with a guitar solo floating over the top.  The band jumps in with a sung staccato  “doh dah doh” bit which sounds like it would end the song, but they’re not done, there’ another refrain of that cool keyboards section with a neat noodly guitar solo.

This was a band of soloists that were at the top of their game and not only did great work by themselves but played very well together.

Since almost every Yes album had different personnel, I’m going to keep a running tally here.  Two albums in  row with the same lineup!:

Chris Squire-bass
John Anderson-vocals
Bill Bruford-drums
Rick Wakeman (#2)-keyboards
Steve Howe (#2)-guitar

[READ: June 30, 2015] The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Crazy Critter Race

I love the Flying Beaver Brothers.  And even though the last couple haven’t been quite as awesome as the first ones, this one has definitely brought the series back on an upswing.

The book casually mentions the baboons from the previous book and what they did to Beaver Island (don’t ask) and then gets right into the action.  A local businessman is having a race.  Everyone is invited to replant the trees that the baboons destroyed and the winner will win a houseboat.

Turns out the entrepreneur is named Crazy Critter (they assumed that was the name of the race) and he is super gung ho about getting the race started.  In Crazy Eddie tradition, he calls himself crazy a LOT. (more…)

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Maxwell Eaton III–The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Hot-Air Baboons (2014)

Posted in Children's Books, Funny (ha ha), Graphic Novel, Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, Maxwell Eaton III, Short Books, Tiny Desk Concert on June 27, 2015| Leave a Comment »

babboobSOUNDTRACK: MADISEN WARD AND THE MAMA BEAR-Tiny Desk Concert #444 (May 26, 2015).

wardI love that Mama Bear is actually Madisen Ward’s mother, Ruth.  They play some really wonderful roots music.

Madisen has a powerful soulful voice and Mama Bear’s harmonies are excellent–ranging from deep to high pitched.

And their joint harmonies on second song, “Sorrows and Woes” (especially the final note) are really amazing.

Mama Bear also adds some great licks to some of the songs (Madisen plays leads on “Silent Movies” while mama Bear plays the main riff on “Daisy Jane.”

Between songs, Madisen has some funny banter.  I laughed when he said that he was now going to retire since he has played the Tiny Desk.  And Mama Bear talks about how excited she is that their new record is on yellow vinyl.

The songs are delightful folk songs (with “Daisy Jane” being the boppiest of the lot with some delightful “ooh hoos” at the end).  I’d never heard of them before, but I wish them a lot of success.

[READ: February 11, 2014] The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Hot-Air Baboons

I saw this book in the library and was delighted to have another Flying Beaver Brothers book to read (I also just saw online that there is a sixth book too!).

Poor Beaver Island is under attack yet again (my kids were surprised to see that there were so many beavers on the island with them, and I admit I didn’t realize there were quite so many either).

The threat this time is a group of baboons who are melting the snow off of the skiing mountain (beaver island really has it all!).  When Ace and Bub finally get caught up to speed with what’s happening, the baboons (Pete, Kyle and Ringo) hilariously get mad about having to repeat the whole story that they told everyone earlier.  There is a helpful chart with Proboscis and Baboon listed as types of monkeys and buffoon as not a type of monkey. (more…)

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Maxwell Eaton III–The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Mud-Slinging Moles (2013)

Posted in Children's Books, Funny (ha ha), Graphic Novel, Maxwell Eaton III, Recess Monkey, Short Books on January 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »

flyingSOUNDTRACK:RECESS MONKEY-“Fish Sticks” (2013).

fishsticksOne of the best names for a kids band ever, Recess Monkey is three teachers who write funny songs that actually educate you.  Although this song doesn’t really have much educational value.

Rather, this is about a fish drummer (named “fish sticks” of course).  The guitar is cool and the bass is fun, but this song is all about the drums.  It’s a slight little ditty, but I love the way they meld all kinds of genres into the middle of the song.

I have to admit that the fish head drummer is a little creepy, but you don’t have to watch the video, right?

And, I do wish I had used this song for a different Flying Beaver Brothers book (the one that is all about Fish Stix, but oh well).

[READ: January 13, 2014] The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Mud Slinging Moles

Here’s another Flying Beaver Brothers book.  Although I enjoyed the premise of this book, I found it less satisfying to read to the kids, possibly because it had more visual jokes than wordplay.

Of course, one of the funniest things in the series is the blank looks that Bub and Ace give to the other characters when they do or say something foolish.  And those abound in this book.  Of course, it’s hard to convey that when reading aloud (although a good Huh?! often works), but it makes me laugh every time, and I’m not sure exactly why–I guess Eaton is excellent at blank looks.

So Bub wakes up to find that all kinds of things on Beaver Island are sinking–trees, rocks, even their house.  They naturally assume that Bob and Bob the evil penguins are behind it, so they go to see them.  There’s a very funny ladder joke that occurs just before the penguin house sinks. They are clearly not responsible either. (more…)

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Maxwell Eaton III–The Flying Beaver Brothers: Birds vs. Bunnies (2013)

Posted in "Weird Al" Yankovic, Adventure, Allan Sherman, Children's Books, Dan Zanes, Funny (ha ha), Graphic Novel, Kids Corner, Maxwell Eaton III, Ratboy Jr., Sara Hickman, Short Books, The Board of Education, The Doubleclicks, The Plants, Trout Fishing in America on January 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »

bbbSOUNDTRACK: KIDS CORNER Top Ten of 2013 (2014).

kidsEvery year I’m curious to see what the kids who vote for Kids Corner music will pick as their top ten.  It is usually reliably silly.  But this year I have to say I was a bit disappointed in their selections.  Here’s the Top um, Eleven (two were tied of tenth) from 11 to 1.

  • Allan Sherman – You Went The Wrong Way Old King Louie
  • Dan Zanes – Turn Turn Turn
  • The Plants – Aziphrale
  • Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band – Thingamajig
  • Shine And The Moonbeams – Bully Bully
  • Trout Fishing In America – My Sister Kissed Her Boyfriend
  • Weird Al Yankovic – The Saga Begins
  • The Doubleclicks – Worst Superpower Ever
  • Ratboy Jr. – Champion Of The Universe
  • Sara Hickman – Radiation Man
  • The Board Of Education – Why Is Dad So Mad?

I am especially surprised by Allan Sherman as I can’t imagine that too many kids would enjoy that song (which is funny if you know your history, but not really otherwise) and while I love Dan Zanes, “Turn Turn Turn” is not exactly a rollicking fun Top Ten song.  I actually dislike “Bully Bully” and while I love Trout Fishing in America and like “My Sister,” it’s certainly not their best song (and this list isn’t just new songs obviously).  The rest of the list is quite good, though.

And it’s a great choice for number one.  But next year, kids, more silliness!

[READ: January 1, 2014] The Flying Beaver Brothers: Birds vs. Bunnies

We were unreasonably excited to see that there was a new Flying Beaver Brothers book out!  We loved the first two quite a lot, so any return of Ace and Bub is a good thing.  But to also have the return of a nasty villain is quite nice too.

Yet it’s not all the same faces, because this time there are birds and bunnies causing havoc with our heroes.

Bob and Bob (the penguins who get a brief cameo) are rebuilding Beaver Island and Bub and Ace are heading there in a boat.  But a storm rages and makes them crash.  They walk around an island where they are quickly captured by an angry bunch of bunnies who accuse them of being bird spies (those are real?).  Indeed, the birds have been playing a  very loud sound that hurts the bunnies ears and makes them go underground.  So the bunnies are fighting back with a wind machine that makes the birds leave the sky.  Both of these machines were funded by a mysterious fellow named Wally (unbeknownst to the others). (more…)

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Maxwell Eaton III–The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Fishy Business (2012)

Posted in Adventure, Children's Books, Contests, Environmentalism, Funky Web Sites, Funny (ha ha), Graphic Novel, Kinderangst, Maxwell Eaton III, Short Books on November 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: KINDERANGST-“Let’s Play” (2012).

I heard this song on Kid’s Corner recently and I loved the verses.  This is a very funny song, in which two girls play together.  The verses are sweet, musically–a kind of retro synth sound.  They have a sing-song melody with the lyrics, “it’s so much fun to play with you, you’re my best friend.”

 Of course, as games go, the game devolves, so when they play Princess, the singer is the pretty one and the friend has to stay home.  Or in the pirate game, the friend gets caught by the Navy and is forced to walk the plank.  In the background you hear the friend getting more and more upset:  Huh?  Hey!   So true and so funny.

The chorus turns into a much punkier song, “I don’t like you any more…  If you’re really my best friend, we’ll never ever play this game again.”  I don’t really like the way the chorus fits in with the verse–I think more for the forced rhymes than the music.  I also wish the song had more resolution…it just kind of ends.  But the verses are very enjoyable.  Even if (especially because?) they are kind of mean.

[READ: November 5, 2012] The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Fishy Business

Book #2 in the Flying Beaver Brothers series is even more fun than the first book.  Why?  Because two of the “evil” penguins from Book 1 are back, but this time they help out the Beaver Brothers (one of whom speaks, the other just says “Ka”, (which I find very funny) and neither has eyeballs–in other words, they are adorable).  The two of them have moved into the Beaver’s house (without asking).  At first the brothers are freaked out (at seeing evil penguins) but the penguins prove to not be evil (they make pancakes for everyone).  But before anyone can determine what’s happening with these penguins, Ace notices the volcano that has appeared out their window.

The “volcano” proves to be a factory belching smoke.  And the factory is making Fish Stix Environmental Manufacturing.  Fish Stix are the most popular, best-selling sticks around and they’re good for the environment!  (That last claim must be true, they keep telling us it’s true over and over).  No one’s exactly sure what Fish Stix are, but they are the best! (more…)

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Maxwell Eaton III–The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Evil Penguin Plan (2012)

Posted in Adventure, Beastie Boys, Children's Books, Contests, Deedle Deedle Dees, Environmentalism, Firewater, Funky Web Sites, Funny (ha ha), Graphic Novel, Maxwell Eaton III, NoMeansNo, Short Books, Superchunk, Surfing, Trout Fishing in America, Wee Hairy Beasties on November 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: SPARE THE ROCK, SPOIL THE CHILD PODCAST (2005-present).

Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child started as a small radio show in Massachusetts and is now syndicated to whomever wants it.

In browsing their playlists, I see a wonderful selection of tunes for kids (and adults).  There is a definite They Might Be Giants connection (I gather they did the theme song).  But in between bands like Deedle Deedle Dees, Trout Fishing in America and Wee Hairy Beasties, they also play Superchunk (“Hyper Enough”), NoMeansNo (“Joy”) The Beastie Boys (“Intergalactic”) and Firewater (!) (“Ponzi’s Revenge).  These are songs that any kid would love and the fit in very well with some of the more energetic music featured in the rest of the show.

You can see their blog site here.  You can listen to the archives (and subscribe) here.

[READ: November 5, 2012] The Flying Beaver Brothers and The Evil Penguin Plan 

I stumbled upon this book at the library.  I’m always looking for books for the kids, and this graphic novel seemed great for Clark to read before bed.  It turned out that Sarah really liked it and so did Tabitha and now so did I.

Maxwell Eaton III has written several different children’s books, like The Adventures of Max and Pinky which we loved, and Two Dumb Ducks, which was okay.  But we loved The Flying Beaver Brothers.  The brothers are Ace and Bub.  Ace loves adventure!  (The opening sequence is awesome!).  You can see his surfboard by the door and everything.  Bub, on the other hand, would much rather simply nap.  But it is time for the annual island surfing contest and Ace stands a good chance of winning, that is, if the huge beaver, Bruce, doesn’t get in their way (he wouldn’t be plotting something nefarious would he?). (more…)

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